#anyway my brain is currently at the I WANT A BREAK STAGE

[jacksgreysays]

Extremely late, completely unnecessary opinion of the Watcher situation, (2024-04-24)

So this is a relatively belated post — several days after the initial “Goodbye Youtube” and one day after the “An Update” videos — and surely by this point there are more interesting/insightful op-eds (both in written form and video form, especially penguinz0’s fairly objective POV as, essentially, a YouTube expert) but there is something about the Watcher situation that made my brain itch. Thus, I wanted to write about it in order to make sense of it all as well as get into a philosophy that seems to be haunting me in recent years and which I think applies greatly here.

This may seem completely out of left field considering 1) definitely not fanfiction and 2) about Watcher Entertainment, a YouTube channel which—as far as this tumblr is concerned—I’ve not engaged with whatsoever, but I don’t know where else I would put this, and weirdly enough I think the general tumblr response to this whole predicament is maybe the… if not objective… then at least, most thoughtful?—or, perhaps, least immediately reactive?—amongst the various social media platforms, that I think some people might appreciate this anyway.

In terms of my relevant background: I majored in Management Science (which is just a fancy way of saying Economics + Business + Accounting because they are, weirdly enough, separate things) and minored in Film Studies in school, I am currently working in the stage tech industry (which, I know, is obviously different from film/video industry), and I like to think I am a fan/consumer of a wide variety of independent creators, some of whom I am lucky enough to be able to afford being a patron/subscriber. I won’t go into all of them—because it is a lot—but there are four in particular whose business models I want to analyze in comparison to Watcher’s admitted blunder:

A) RocketJump (known for Video Game High School and Anime Crimes Division; the core group which turned into the podcast Story Break, then became Dungeons and Daddies) B) Dropout (formerly College Humor, we’ll get into their discography later) C) Drawfee (previously an offshoot of College Humor, now fully independent) D) Corridor Digital (used to be mostly behind the scenes of how VFX studios work, have since become a mostly original content creator)

I will say, right off the bat, I am a patron of Drawfee as well as Dungeons and Daddies, and I am a subscriber to Dropout. I am not subscribed to Corridor Digital’s streamer, which I will get into why later. I understand that being able to sustain those two patronages and one subscription is a luxury that not everyone can afford and so my point of view is already skewed by being such a person who could theoretically afford another streaming service if I so chose. I also acknowledge that many fans of Watcher are not in similarly financially secure places as I am and that regardless of the business model, any monetization that comes from fans would have been a rough ask. However, I wanted to go into this essay in a way that accepts Watcher’s statement—that they needed more funding—in relatively good faith rather than assuming the worst (although that is another point I’ll get into later, largely related to the philosophy I brought up earlier.)

All four of the above listed content creators started or, at least, hit their stride on YouTube:

RocketJump and College Humor were, if not household names, then the digital equivalent of it in the “early days of YouTube.” They were part of the wave of content creators that made YouTube seem less like a bunch of eccentrics with cameras making videos on the side and more like a viable way to support yourself/your team with the art you create.

RocketJump’s Video Game High School went from short (less than 10 minutes) minimal location episodes in season one, to 30 minute plus episodes with full on fight scenes and car explosions by season three thanks to a Monster Energy brand deal. They also had two seasons of Anime Crimes Division, a literal TV quality show, thanks to a Crunchy Roll sponsorship. Unfortunately, RocketJump shut down not long after (their videos are still up on YouTube but they obviously don’t add anything new) but the core creative team behind that have been involved in several projects outside of YouTube (Dimension 404 on Hulu being one of the biggest ones so far) including the podcast Story Break (part of the Maximum Fun network) and now the independent podcast Dungeons and Daddies, the episodes of the main campaigns which are free with ads or, for patrons, ad-less along with additional mini-campaigns and other benefits.

I will say, during RocketJump’s decline, they did try their best to keep going. The partnerships with Monster Energy and Crunchy Roll were the big swings to get the funding to make those TV quality shows they wanted. I believe they lucked out with those brands in particular, or, at least, those brands didn’t seem to inhibit the creative process or ask too much of them that it felt like “selling out” but I also don’t have insight into why they didn’t pursue this model of, essentially, very weird but interesting season long commercials. Maybe they just couldn't find the right brands or maybe they did feel like it was too stifling. Regardless, before they shut down completely, they did also downsize—moving out of the actual city of Los Angeles over to Buena Park. Which is in Los Angeles county, and basically counts as LA still, but is way cheaper than literal Hollywood real estate. (I should have added to my relevant background that I’m born and raised LA county, and have relatives and friends in the film/movie industry, so trust me when I say literal Hollywood/city of Los Angeles is so overrated and unnecessarily expensive. There is a reason why LA traffic is the worst and it’s because everyone is commuting INTO the city. Respectfully and with affection, no one should live there. No one’s start up should be located there.) Obviously the downsizing didn’t necessarily work for RocketJump, but they also didn’t have multiple successful revenue streams the way that Watcher currently does.

In contrast, College Humor was acquired by InterActiveCorp and was turned into CH Media which was three pronged: College Humor, Drawfee, and Dorkly. In 2018 they made Dropout, which had exclusive content separate from their YouTube videos which involved all three prongs. Then some financial shenanigans happened early 2020—IAC withdrew their funding—and there were a bunch of layoffs right before the pandemic which extremely sucked. It has been stated by multiple people involved that it was basically a miracle that Dropout survived through all of that, but there were definitely some sacrifices along the way to make that happen. Currently, Dropout seems to be thriving with mostly exclusive content with the occasional “first episode of a season” posted to YouTube, OR if Dimension 20 is doing a “sequel season” in an already established campaign they will put the entirety of the previous season on YouTube.

IAC withdrawing their funding did put CH Media in a bind. They had to layoff a lot of people right before pandemic and, understandably, a lot of trauma was had. There were also weird issues with who controlled certain IPs/brands/digital assets (I mostly come at this from a Drawfee POV, it took several years for them to own the Drawga series and be allowed to host all of the episodes on their YouTube, and there was also something about the sound file for their opening animation?) but mainly the difference is what kind of content they generate. Originally Dropout had multiple scripted shows with high budgets and pretty cool effects/animations/stunts (Troopers, Kingpin Katie, Gods of Food, Ultramechatron Team Go!, Cartoon Hell, and WTF 101) whereas now almost all of their shows are variations of improv comedians being put into different scenarios or given different prompts. I’m not just talking about Game Changer and Make Some Noise, because Dimension 20 and Um, Actually also technically fall under that description as well. Which is not to say that these shows are worse than the scripted shows—I subscribe to Dropout, so clearly I’m a fan of their current shows—and the budgets for them have since increased to resemble, if not match, those early shows, but it is a noticeable shift in their content creation strategy as a response to the lack of IAC funding. And I will say: Dropout releases at least three videos a week if not more and at least two of those are long form at 30 minutes plus (Dimension 20 being the longest, of course.)

So, these first two business models are not really the most applicable to Watcher Entertainment considering their origin was to get away from Buzzfeed—they’re probably not keen to be partnered with or purchased by a larger company—but there are some aspects to both that I believe are valuable in at least showing the strategy in how these former YouTube creators could successfully extract themselves from YouTube or how they still utilize YouTube even if it is not their main hosting platform or revenue stream.

Then there is Drawfee and Corridor Digital, both of whom are currently—if not primarily—on YouTube, whose situations are more comparable to what I believe are Watcher’s goals.

Drawfee had to rebuild themselves like a phoenix from the ashes of the CH Media layoff during the beginning/worst of the pandemic. Side note: I’m happy that Nathan (one of the four main artists of the current Drawfee team) at least has forgiven(? or let bygones be bygones) Dropout enough to be on an episode of Game Changer (although I will say that this happened after Drawga was “returned” to Drawfee, and after Dropout officially split from College Humor as a brand.) All that being said, Drawfee was a team of four artists plus their editor who wanted to stick together but basically had all of their support system taken away from them. They took a bit of a break to assess their goals and options, announced a patreon with several tiers with great perks, and stuck to their upload schedule. In addition to two videos a week, they also stream on Twitch weekly, have a patron only stream once a month, and a draw class (for one of the higher tiers) once month. After asking their patrons on the relevant tiers if they were okay with it, they began releasing the patron only stream and the draw class to the general public for free after a month. The patreon perks also include things like merch discount codes, high quality PNGs of the final rendered art, access to the draw class with live interaction/critique, and a commission from the artist of your choice. The only “ads” they run are for their own patreon and merch store and, even then, they’re usually at the end of the videos with a credit scroll of the patron names during their exit banter.

Admittedly, they only have MAYBE eight employees—that’s including their video editor(s?) and their discord mod(s?)—with the main four artists doubling/tripling up duties as additional video editors, CFO, and marketing/merch leads. It’s a very streamlined crew and their production costs are not very high since it’s mostly screen recording of their drawings with their audio recording overlayed onto that footage. Although the video editors do sometimes have clever cuts to relevant images depending on their vamping. Sometimes they will have a guest artist but, again, since it’s screen and audio recordings, there’s no travel/housing costs. So, very minimal expenses due to low production costs and small crew but, again, their only revenue source is the patreon/merch, they don’t do outside ads and they very rarely do live shows.

Corridor Digital is, I think, the most applicable to what Watcher would ideally do, which I suppose is somewhat ironic for this essay in particular considering they’re the only one of the four that I don’t financially support. They have two YouTube channels: their main one being where they show the “final product” videos, but I believe their Corridor Crew channel which started primarily as behind the scenes type of videos is where most of their views come from. Especially their React series (VFX artists, Stuntmen, and Animators React etc.) On Corridor Crew they usually upload two videos a week — one which is a React and the other which goes into fun projects/challenges (involving VFX or not) or using VFX to explain scientific concepts — as well as the first episodes of their exclusive content on their streamer. Also behind that paywall are longer and ad-less versions of the videos on YouTube. They also have merch. All of them have merch, I don’t know why I’m stating that. They don’t have a patreon as far as I know, but I also don’t know if their subscription to their website comes with similar perks like discounted merch or something similar.

Anyway, their studio seems to be about 15 to 20 people — not all of them are VFX artists, of course. I believe they have higher equipment costs than Watcher since, understandably, Corridor has to be on the cutting edge of video editing technology. They do occasionally travel for shoots, but it doesn’t require big teams, and that’s only when the local locations available to them don’t match the requirements for the “final product” videos. Otherwise most of their videos are set in the studio or in the alleyway outside their studio in Los Angeles (the city itself, not just the greater county, though they are in a rougher and thus probably cheaper part of Los Angeles). I personally don’t subscribe to their website primarily because their exclusive shows don’t appeal to me—either they’re too technical or a little too dry; to be fair, most of them are VFX artists first before they are performers—and I don’t particularly feel the need to see the extended cuts of the videos uploaded on YouTube. Also I sometimes get a little bummed out by their lack of diversity.

All of this to say, from these four different business models, a bespoke Frankenstein business model for Watcher could be cobbled together. But also, even with that bespoke Frankenstein, there are some changes that Watcher would have to make: primarily their upload schedule. As of right now, I think they do MAYBE one video a week if not, perhaps, one video every TWO weeks. If they want a monthly subscription model, their rate of content generation would ideally be higher to double/quadruple their current upload rate. Obviously they want to create videos with higher production value, but at that rate of generation, something’s got to give: supplement their TV quality shows with either a behind the scenes type series or an increase of “we get four episodes out of Shane and Ryan get increasingly drunk in someone’s backyard” or something similar. Leaning into shows like Worth A Shot (the first season in which Ricky Wang makes cocktails based on a random ingredient, the second season threw in some competitive aspects which I didn’t really find necessary) or the Beatdown which has relatively low production costs (no travel, one location, maybe two cameras at most therefore smaller crew requirements) but a higher polished look. Otherwise, for a separate streaming subscription service, 2-4 videos a month is not going to cut it.

As of right now they probably can’t back out of the separate streaming subscription service because those set ups usually require some level of contract/paying for servers for the website and whatever is hosting their videos for a set amount of time. However, what really strikes me is that I literally didn’t know they had a patreon until I scrolled through the comments of the first Goodbye Youtube video. Maybe it’s been linked "tactfully" in the descriptions of videos, but considering they claim to be lacking in funds, the fact that they weren’t plugging their patreon at the end of every video is not just strange, but also irresponsible considering they do have 25 employees that they don’t want to layoff.

Additionally, I understand artists needing to be in a space that promotes creativity, but there are cheaper places that must be comparable that aren’t in literal Hollywood. It’s an unnecessary expense. On top of that, other people have already brought up that it was fairly crass to introduce this paywall, attributing it to the increased production costs, when the next planned “new series” is a reboot of an old Buzzfeed series in which people travel and eat expensive food. I’m not even talking about the personal expenses of Steven, Shane, and Ryan; what kind of car they drive or the cost of their wedding venue doesn’t matter on a business model basis.

But getting back to the patreon: again, I literally didn’t know they had one. I’m looking over their tiers— they have $5, $10, $25, and $100 — and for the most part they seem okay, although I think they have more to offer that wouldn’t necessarily cost them more. Ie, something that has baffled me for a while: the fact they don’t sell the mp3s of the Puppet History songs; they already exist and it doesn’t cost them anything additional because they don’t need to put it on physical media. Or maybe they do and they’re not marketing it similarly to how they weren’t overtly marketing their patreon?

And, okay, maybe they didn’t want to seem desperate — in the early days of Dropout and independent Drawfee, they both were very blatant in getting people to subscribe/join their patreon. As they should be. Desperation maybe doesn’t look cool and sexy, but it is earnest in a way that conveys equal effort that fans who can afford it would want to see. The fact that we weren’t getting rotating ten second clips of Steven, Shane, and Ryan asking people to join the patreon at the end of every video — even if its the same clip every three videos — is wild. And yes, the $25 tier includes a shoutout every 3 months on Watcher Weekly+ (which I don't quite understand what that is,) but the fact that they weren’t doing a quick post movie credits scroll of all the patreon names is, again, wild. Once you have that initial list, it’s not too difficult to add any new names that join and put that title overlay on top of, again, those nonexistent ten second clips of the three.

As others have already stated, it seems like an extreme mismanagement of their existing successful revenue streams, if they are actually struggling to pay all of their employees. Which goes into the philosophy part of this essay: don’t assume malice when it might just be incompetence. It’s something that I have to remind myself of often because I do get paranoid about people’s intentions sometimes and I have to check myself. Am I being overly suspicious of what might be just an honest mistake? Am I assigning ill will to an action just because it inconvenienced me?

Yes, of course, a lot of this situation could be misconstrued as straight up greed. But, also, Watcher is a relatively young company, helmed by three people who certainly don’t have experience running their own company:

They like to travel. They like to bring a full crew around with them. They’re renting out a shiny office in the heart of Hollywood where everyone knows is where real show biz happens. They’re adding more employees to the team because surely more people means better. And they want better productions values because the prettier the videos the more people will like them right?

It’s naive. It’s a level of inexperience combined with giving responsibility to officers whose main priority is to entertain. And if that means entertaining themselves and their staff, then they might not know the difference. It’s the kind of mistake that first time managers make—trying to prioritize fun over getting the job done. Prioritizing making friends with their employees rather than making sure the work the employees put in is equal to (or greater than) what you spend on them whether that is in paycheck or bringing them to cool locations for fun shoots. It’s a mistake anyone can make, it's just unfortunate that they made this mistake in front of millions of people. It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s solely a greed induced cash grab.

But then comes the catch-22 of the philosophy—is it worse to assume incompetence than it is to assume malice? Or, in this case, greed. Especially for the heads of a company that holds the livelihoods of 25 employees in their hands. At what point does it not matter if it’s incompetence or greed if the end result is the same?

Is it better to think that Watcher knew about the various other business models of independent creators and just ignored the efforts put into achieving those successes or is it better to think that they didn’t know and just stumbled into one of the worst moves they could have done. Again, other people have mentioned that Great Mythical Morning—which Watcher has had multiple collaborations with—has managed to make the YouTube subscription/tier system work to the point that they can sustain themselves as well as spinoff channels. Is it incompetence or greed that led to Watcher thinking they could bypass that completely in less time and with less content?

I’ve been at this mess of an essay for several hours when I should have been asleep. Ultimately I want to say, regardless of incompetence or greed… yes, Steven is CEO and yes he is ultimately the one who makes the final call but it is disheartening to see the pointed vitriol at Steven specifically and the infantilizing of Shane and Ryan in comparison. Either they’re all silly uwu boys who are messing around not knowing how to run a company, or they’re all complicit in a crass cash grab in an extremely busted economy.

I think what’s most frustrating to me in all this is that there were so many other channels and creators who have literally walked this path before them and, again, whether through incompetence or greed or arrogance, for them to just ignore it… It’s not betrayal because I don’t know them and so there’s no relationship to betray, it’s just so inefficient and convoluted that I don’t understand. Or, no, even if it was greed, it’s an incompetent greed because at least pure greed would have been pushing that patreon every second they could. Their ratio of YouTube subscribers to patreon members is less than 1% and I bet that’s because a lot of their audience, like me, literally didn’t know they had a patreon. I probably would have become a patreon member of theirs had I known earlier, ESPECIALLY if it included access to those Puppet History songs. Drawfee has half as many YouTube subscribers and nearly double the patreon members as Watcher. I’m just baffled, is all, and maybe by this point sleep deprived.

Anyway. That’s my extremely late, completely unnecessary opinion of this situation.

Edit (several hours later after some sleep): I forgot to mention, because they did walk this back almost immediately, even before their "An Update" video, but I believe the original plan was to put EVERYTHING behind that paywall and pull their content from YouTube entirely. Which is, again, extremely baffling, because if ALL of their content is behind a paywall, how would they possibly gain new fans? Even if all of their current fans were able and willing to pay for their separate subscription streaming service, how would a brand new person even stumble on their content enough to want to subscribe if there wasn't a significant amount of "proof of value" free content on YouTube? Again, extremely baffling, and a level of incompetence that overshadows a "cunning" greed. But, like I said earlier, they did walk this decision back almost immediately. If I've misunderstood this and that was never their plan, please let me know, I don't want to be spreading misinformation in a situation that is already so convoluted.

#jacksgreyson #writing #nonfiction #essay #watcher #op-ed #youtube #drawfee #corridor digital #dropout #rocketjump #dungeons and daddies

[norrussell]

Hello darling I have Lando x fem!reader’s request✨🥹

Sooo I HAVE THIS “You must need to be fast on track, but you can’t get me so fast” ON MY MIND

So the reader and Lando are pretty close and very touchy, she works for McLaren, maybe as a lawyer idk; so they spent some time together, especially in UK, but she always goes to Monaco. ANYWAY during a party (maybe after one of his podium) he gets very close to her, always a hand on her back, and at some he trying to express his feelings for her, idk he would do something very clingy soo she stopped him and said *that*.

So that night they come back together to his hotel room, kissing each other, but they finished cuddling. Because he wants to do the things seriously.

I'M BAAAACK!!! Don't know for how long tho, I had this sitting in my drafts for two weeks and felt like editing while Lando's stream played in the background. I thought I'd get so much more writing done once the winter break begins, but it looks like apparently I'm on a break too cause no matter how much I want to get things done, my brain is just like nope keep watching that show until the guilt of all the requests eats you away. So, my apologies to this anon for waiting for months and all the others that have sent requests, I'm not ignoring you, I'm just going through some difficult time currently, but hopefully it will get better soon. Not really satisfied with this, if I'm being honest, but really liked the idea which required a lot of research and banging my head against the wall to make it all work and fit, and really wanted to get it done. So I hope you enjoy! :) ♥

Trackside Temptations | Lando Norris⁴

The atmosphere in Silverstone was electric during the peak of racing season, filled with the aroma of success and bubbly champagne. Lando Norris, rising star in the world of Formula One, had just secured a spot on the podium, his heartbeat echoing in sync with the joyful cheers of the crowd, and was eager to join his team at the luxurious after party to celebrate their victory.

Navigating through the throngs of people, Lando couldn't ignore the rush of excitement mingled with a hint of anxiety. Though he prided himself on his unwavering confidence and determination behind the wheel, there was one individual in the room who could effortlessly rattle him – y/n, a sharp-witted lawyer whose support had been vital to Lando's success in his career.

As Lando made his way over to you, he couldn't help but feel the butterflies in his stomach begin to flutter. He had always admired you from afar, but tonight, he was determined to make a move.

You were dressed in a stunning red dress, your hair cascading in loose waves around your shoulders. You looked up as he approached, and he couldn't help but feel a jolt of electricity shoot through his body at the sight of your eyes.

"Congratulations, Lando!" you said, opening your arms for a hug. "You were incredible out there today."

Lando felt his heart skip a beat as he pulled you into a tight embrace, inhaling the intoxicating scent of your perfume and feeling the softness of your body pressed against his.

"Thanks, y/n," he said. "I couldn't have done it without you. Thank you for always being there for me." he pulled back, his hands lingering on your arms.

"Of course, Lando. It's been an honor to support you through this journey." your voice was warm and sincere, and your smile reached your eyes, making them crinkle at the corners.

"Come on, let's join the others," Lando said, gesturing towards the rest of your team who were celebrating nearby.

You smiled and took Lando's hand, feeling a thrill run through your body at the touch of his skin against yours. As you made your way over to the group, Lando kept his hand firmly in yours, his fingers intertwining with yours in a silent show of possession.

The British Grand Prix after party was in full swing, and amidst the cacophony of laughter and clinking glasses, Lando and you found yourselves standing by a makeshift stage, watching your colleagues perform an impromptu karaoke session. The sight of your usually serious team members belting out pop classics with reckless abandon brought a smile to both your faces.

"Never thought I'd see the day when our chief engineer would sing Spice Girls," you remarked, your eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Neither did I," Lando replied, chuckling. "I bet they'll never live this down."

As you shared a laugh, Lando felt grateful for the easy camaraderie he had with you. You could always find something to laugh about, even in the most stressful situations. It was a testament to the trust you had built over the years, and it only seemed to grow stronger with each passing day.

"Seriously though, y/n," Lando said, his tone shifting to one of sincerity. "I just wanted to extend my gratitude again for everything you've done for me. You've been a true ally, both on and off the track."

Your cheeks flushed slightly at the heartfelt praise, but you brushed it off with a playful grin. "Well, someone has to keep you in line, Lando. You're lucky I'm so good at it."

"Indeed, I am," Lando agreed, smiling warmly. "But truly, your guidance and support have made all the difference in my career. I can't imagine where I'd be without you."

"Probably still driving go-karts," you teased, eliciting another laugh from Lando. Despite your jest, you appreciated the sentiment behind his words. Your bond was special, and it wasn't something either of you took for granted.

"Hey, don't knock go-karts," Lando retorted, feigning offense. "They're where it all began, after all."

"True," you conceded, your smile softening. "But we both know you were destined for much greater things, Lando. And I'm proud to have been a part of your journey."

"Thank you, y/n," Lando said, his voice warm and sincere. "Here's to many more victories together."

"Cheers to that," you replied, clinking your glass against his.

As the night progressed and the party continued, Lando found himself drawn to you like a moth to a flame. Every time you laughed, his heart skipped a beat. Every time you touched him, he felt a jolt of electricity course through his veins.

The music pulsed through the air, a rhythmic heartbeat that fueled the euphoria rippling through the crowd. McLaren team members and fellow racers moved with infectious energy, their laughter and conversation melding into an intoxicating symphony. Amidst it all, Lando and you swayed in unison to the beat, your eyes locked and smiles mirroring each other's elation.

"Hey, champ," called out a familiar voice, momentarily tearing Lando's gaze away from you. It was Carlos Sainz, a fellow racer and close friend, passing by with a wide grin. "Fantastic race today! You really showed them who's boss."

"Thanks, Carlos," Lando replied, his chest swelling with pride. "Couldn't have done it without everyone's support."

"Especially mine, right?" you chimed in playfully, a mischievous glint in your eyes.

"Of course!" Carlos exclaimed, laughing. "You're the true mastermind behind this achievement!"

As Carlos continued on, Lando gave you a knowing look, warmth radiating between you. You both knew the truth in the jest – that you had been instrumental in bringing him to this point.

"Shall we dance?" Lando asked, extending his hand with a cheeky grin. You nodded, accepting the invitation as you danced like no one was watching. The room around you seemed to blur, leaving just the two of you amidst the swirl of colors and sounds.

You found yourselves gravitating towards each other, your bodies moving in perfect sync as you danced to the pulsing beat of the music. Lando couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as he watched you move. There was something about the way you moved – confident and sensual, yet somehow innocent at the same time – that made his heart race.

"I can't believe I'm dancing with you," he said, his voice low and intimate.

"Why not?" you replied, your smile teasing. "I'm just a lawyer, remember?"

He shook his head, his eyes darkening. "You're so much more than that, y/n. You're the reason I'm here, the reason I'm successful. You're the one who's always had my back, even when things were tough."

"And you're the reason I have a job," you teased, but there was a flicker of something more serious in your eyes. "You've made my work here worthwhile, Lando. You've given me purpose."

Lando's eyes searched yours, and he saw the truth in them. You weren't just colleagues or friends – there was something deeper between you both, something that had been simmering beneath the surface for years.

"Congratulations again, Lando," murmured a team member as he passed, patting him on the back and interrupting the moment between you. "You've made us all proud."

"Seriously, man, you were on fire today!" another added, clapping Lando's shoulder enthusiastically.

"Thank you, guys," Lando responded, his voice filled with gratitude. As he looked at you, he couldn't help but feel that part of it belonged to you as well.

"Can I just say," you began, your voice barely audible over the thumping music, leaning in and resting your arms on his shoulders "how incredibly proud I am of you?"

Lando's eyes flickered with a hint of surprise and pleasure, his heart racing as he gazed into your eyes. The dim lighting of the party accentuated the curve of your lips and the sparkle in your eyes, making him feel like he was gazing upon a work of art.

"Thank you, y/n," he said, his voice hoarse.

Your eyes met his, and in that moment, Lando knew that he had to have you. He didn't care about the risks or the consequences – he needed you more than anything.

The attraction between the two of you had always been undeniable, but up until now, Lando had resisted the urge to act on it. He had been so focused on his career and his goals that he had never allowed himself to explore the possibility of something more with you.

But as the night wore on and the champagne flowed freely, Lando found his resolve slipping. When he saw you dancing with one of the other drivers, a pang of jealousy burned in his chest. He wanted to be the one holding you close, he wanted to be the one making you laugh, he wanted to be the one kissing you senseless.

Without thinking, he made his way towards you, his heart racing with anticipation. As soon as he was close enough, he slid his arm around your waist and pulled you near, swaying in time with the music.

"Come with me," he whispered, his voice low and seductive.

Your eyes widened, but you didn't protest. You simply followed him as he led you away from the crowded dance floor and onto the terrace.

Once outside, Lando pulled you closer to him, letting his fingers caress your cheek as he looked into your eyes. His expression was a mixture of emotion - desire, longing and something more that neither of you could put into words.

"Remember when we first met?" Lando asked, his gaze fixed on you. "I was just some rookie driver signing a contract, and you were this intimidating lawyer."

You chuckled, recalling the memory fondly. "You've come a long way since then."

"And so have you," Lando replied, glancing over at you. "Your legal support has been invaluable, you know," Lando continued, his voice filled with gratitude. "All those contracts and negotiations... I couldn't do it without you."

"Hey, that's what I'm here for," you responded, a hint of pride in your tone. As a top-notch lawyer, you had played a significant role in helping Lando navigate the world of Formula One. From ironing out sponsorship deals to ensuring his rights were protected, you had been a force to be reckoned with.

"Sometimes I think about how different things would be if we hadn't crossed paths," Lando mused, his thoughts drifting. "I'm grateful every day that I have you by my side, both professionally and personally."

"Me too," you agreed, your gaze softening. You reached out, gently squeezing his hand in a show of solidarity. "We make a great team, Lando. But you didn't bring me out here to talk about contracts and negotiations," you said, your voice low and sultry as you leaned in closer to him. "What did you bring me out here for, Lando?"

Lando's breath hitched as he felt your hot breath against his neck. "No," he admitted. "I was... I just... I saw you dancing with George and I just couldn't stand there and watch any longer."

You grinned, feeling a sense of satisfaction wash over you. You had known for a long time that Lando had harbored feelings for you, but you had never expected him to act on them so boldly. "Is that so?"

Lando nodded, his eyes darkening with desire as he reached up to brush a stray strand of hair out of your face. "I want you, y/n," he said, his voice low and intimate. "I've wanted you for a long time, but I've been too scared to say anything. But tonight... I just can't resist anymore."

Your heart was pounding so hard you could feel it in your chest. You had never seen Lando like this before. The way his eyes bore into yours, the way his breath mingled with yours, it was all so intense. And you wanted him too, more than anything.

Without another word, Lando cupped your face with his hands and lowered his lips to yours. The kiss was soft and gentle at first, but it quickly escalated. His tongue swept into your mouth, exploring every inch, and you moaned into the kiss.

The terrace was dimly lit, but it felt like you were the only two people in the world. Lando's hands roamed over your body, pulling you close as he deepened the kiss. You could feel him pressing against you, and you couldn't help but grind against him.

"Lando," you gasped when the kiss finally broke, your lips swollen from the heat of it.

"Come back to my room with me," he murmured against your lips as he nipped at them. "I want to show you how much I appreciate everything you've done for me."

"Woah there, champ," you said, pulling back slightly. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Let's take this slow."

"How slow?" Lando asked, his voice a bit impatient.

"I know you're used to fast things," you said, a coy smile playing on your lips, "and you must need to be fast on track, but you can't get me so fast."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." Lando began, your words slapping him back to reality.

"I'm just teasing," you said, placing a finger on his lips to silence him. "I know you didn't. And I'm not ready for that either, yet. But I want you to know I feel the same way about us." you whispered, tiptoeing to plant a soft kiss on his lips. "I just want to take this slow."

"I know, y/n," Lando replied, his voice deep and rumbly. "I want to take it slow too."

"Alright," you said  finally. "Let's go back inside. We can head back to your room after everyone goes home..."

Lando's grin widened. "Are you sure you don't want to go now? It's pretty late."

"I'd love to," you said, titling your head and looking up at him through your eyelashes. "But I want to give everyone a chance to congratulate you first." You giggled, looping your arm around his. "Then we can go back to your place and... celebrate."

"I like the sound of that," Lando said, pulling you in close and placing a lingering kiss against your lips. "Come on," Lando said, grabbing your hand and pulling you towards the heart of the festivities.

You allowed yourself to be swept up in the excitement, unable to suppress the grin spreading across your face. As you weaved through the jubilant crowd, the warmth of Lando's hand in yours was like an anchor, keeping you grounded amidst the whirlwind of sensations.

"Oi! Norris!" a voice called out, cutting through the noise. "That was some race you had today! You've got to teach me your tricks!"

"Maybe next time, mate," Lando laughed, giving the fellow racer a friendly pat on the back before continuing on.

"Hey, y/n," another voice chimed in, one of your colleagues from the McLaren team. "You're doing a fantastic job with all the legal stuff. Keep it up!"

"Thanks," you replied, a blush creeping up her neck. "I'm just doing my part for the team."

As you reached the center of the celebration, Lando pulled you into a spontaneous twirl, eliciting a delighted giggle from you.

"Are you having fun?" he asked, a playful glint in his eyes.

"Definitely!" you felt a warmth spreading through your chest. That moment, the joy of victory and the intoxicating atmosphere, was something you knew you'd cherish forever.

"Good," Lando said softly, his gaze never leaving her eyes. "You deserve it, y/n."

Finally, everyone said their goodbyes and the two of you were left alone in the open air. The night sky was alight with stars, and the city below twinkled in the distance. Without a word, the two of you made your way to Lando's hotel room. He opened the door and stepped inside, pulling you with him. As soon as he closed the door, his hands were around your waist and he pulled you into a tight embrace.

You both sank down onto his bed without breaking contact. Lando enveloped you in his arms as he kissed your neck and shoulders hungrily. You felt so safe in his embrace, as if nothing else mattered in that moment but him holding you close. The intensity of it all was overwhelming, but comforting at the same time.

"Can you believe it?" Lando asked, his breath hot on your skin. "All those years, all that work, and here we are."

You looked up at him, a soft smile playing on your lips. "It's been quite a journey, hasn't it?"

"Definitely," Lando agreed, his eyes reflecting the pride he felt.

The two of you entwined in each other's arms until the early morning hours, savoring every moment together. His kisses sent shivers down your spine and his hands explored every inch of your body hungrily. Every touch was tender but passionate, as if he wanted to show you how much he cared for you. He cuddled up against you, whispering sweet words of affection into your ear.

It was clear that Lando wanted more than just physical pleasure from this encounter, and you felt the same way about him. You both wanted something real and lasting--something that went beyond the heat of the moment.

#lando norris x reader #lando norris x you #lando norris x y/n #lando norris x oc #lando norris x female reader #lando norris imagine #lando norris one shot #lando norris fanfic #lando norris fluff #lando norris #ln4 x reader #ln4 x you #ln4 imagine #ln4 fluff #ln4 fic #ln4 #f1 x reader #f1 x you #f1 x y/n #f1 x female reader #f1 x oc #f1 imagine #f1 one shot #f1 fic #f1 fanfic #f1 fluff #formula 1 x reader #formula 1 x you #formula 1 x y/n #formula 1 x female reader

[commander-krios]

I started another WIP instead of finishing a current one lmaoooo Rugan took over my brain today. I have no idea where this is going but here. I’ll feed y’all.

~~~~

“You’re a goddess.” Rugan said, breathless, as she bent behind the chair, a blade slipping between the ropes that bound him. “I forgot how beautiful you are in a fight.”

“Are you sure this is the time?” She asked, slicing through the ropes easily, leaving them in a pile on the muddy ground. She moved to stand in front of him, inspecting his injuries. There was a cut above his left eye that left smears of dried blood on his skin, different stages of bruising across the rest of his face. Her heart thudded in her throat at the sight.

As he attempted to rub some life back into his wrists and hands, she tilted his face towards the light of a nearby torch, hoping to see if there was any damage to eye sockets or jaw. “I forgot how much it sucks to be on the receiving end of a beating.”

This was her fault. When he made the offer to have her haul the chest to Baldur’s Gate, to split the profits so he could disappear, she should’ve known what would happen. She was in the Zhentarim long enough to understand how things worked. No matter how well he knew Zarys, she was still going to kill him for failing his job.

“You shouldn’t have come back.” Her voice was quiet, an attempt to hide the very real worry she felt over this maddening man.

Rugan glanced up at her, blue eyes clear despite the pain he must’ve been feeling. “I wasn’t gonna hide. She would’ve found me anyway.”

“Rugan-”

His hand reached up to grip her wrist gently. It wouldn’t take much force to break free if she wished. But his gaze had her locked in and she didn’t want to move just yet. “Ryn, don’t. You know, as well as me, that Zarys would’ve never let me live. And you… she’s always hated you. She had the perfect excuse to take us both out.”

“You knew I wouldn’t leave you to deal with her alone.”

Rugan smiled, wincing as the cuts along his jaw pulled uncomfortably. “I took the gamble. Glad to see it paid off.” His face dropped slightly, his eyes shifting as if to seek out the dead man beside him. But he stopped, refusing to look at the mess that was once the kid that worked with him.

Aly brushed her fingertips over his forehead, tracing the wrinkles that lined his face now. So many years since she’d seen him and yet, she still held softness for him. One day, it was going to get both of them killed.

#my writing #bg3 wips #tav: alyril’fryn #bg3 rugan

[wellnoe]

hi! I love your art so much?? you’ve really reignited a love for the x-men that I haven’t had since I was a kid <3 I wanted to ask if you had any advice for making comics? have a nice day!!

ah!!! ty!

when i make comics on my own (most of the single page stuff i post on here) i have a different process than when i make comics with other people. i usually start with a couple of strong visuals i have in mind, then i’ll break down what i want to be conveyed by the paneling (basically: what are the main beats i want to hit?), and then i finally do dialogue. i sometimes put in placeholder dialogue to remind me of information that absolutely has to be conveyed in the layouts/pencils stage, but most dialogue only gets added in after a page is completely done, colors and all. this is the most intuitive way to do comics for me, and i think that’s my first piece of advice, which is find a workflow that makes sense for how your brain conceives of scenes. anyway bc thats my process all of my advice is basically about drawing comics.

(this is the 'coming up with visuals' stage for a comic i'm working on currently. you can see that i'm basically just throwing anything at the wall to see if it works, and leaving a couple words/notes for myself so i know whats going on. its not even really a layout, the panels are not arranged how they would be on a final page.)

my other piece of advice is to pick apart paneling and comics you love? don’t just redraw them (though that can help too), but study what the paneling and composition conveys, and how that accentuates the story (which it often does!). i’ve done this w watchmen, a couple of moon knight runs, and some x-stuff, and i find it really helps me learn a lot about pacing, how time works, and how to economically convey information (bc you have a lot less room on a page than you think!). as a part of that: an exercise i think is a lot of fun/really helpful is to take pages/scenes you like and recompose them. use different paneling to convey the same scene and see how the meaning changes! do it intentionally, planning on pulling focus to something the original scene slides by. you can do this with your own stuff too:

(this is me picking apart a redraw i wanted to do of a comic i posted on here a couple of years ago. first i redrew the comic in the left corner so i could see the composition, then i made notes to myself about what the original comic was supposed to be about, and what i wanted to add to it to improve it. sorry for how blurry it is, the pencil smudged.)

here’s some rapid fire stuff i like to keep in mind while making comics: time does not exist in comics the way it exists in movies or in prose. the gutter? anything can happen there. it is potentially literally any amount of time. its up to you to convey via panel content and composition how much time has passed (which can be very little!) same deal with space. things happen in between panels, and people move, but also panels overlap, or squish, or disregard scenery. that said! this has to be done intentionally. how panels are organized, their size, their relationship to one another, all convey information to your reader. my point is the sky's the limit here. so yknow. have fun w it.

finally i think you just need to do it a lot. i have a ton of comic layouts or pencils that i never posted bc they honestly just aren’t that competent, but i learned nevertheless. there’s other stuff that never made it past the layout or sketch stage bc i was just doing it to practice, so there was never any need to ink or color it. making comics like any other drawing is about continuously assessing intention and communication.

hope that was helpful in some way!! i like making comics a lot, and i have a lot of fun thinking about paneling and the like. i hope you have fun making comics too <3

#idk if this is what you were looking for or if you wanted more like. definitive technical advice #but i hope this was helpful in some way #w.ask

[aroace-polyshow]

hi more me guessing hw songs.

i learned the lyrics to Snowman by halyosy (lyrics) and now can't stop thinking of it as a potential hw song- not as a song they would cover, but as a song their virtual singer would sing to them (kaito to tsukasa specifically). i don't think you've ever shared virtual singer lore so im making it up drawing influence from the feelings of both the nightcord and wxs virtual singers

""I told a lie to my mom", a boy began to cry. I am made to be all white so that I can take away the darkness in his heart". -> n25s miku's whole thing is to be there for mafuyu and help ease the pain in her heart. i'd guess the virtual singers of hw would have a similar motivation. (also, the lie in question was that the boy had friends and was talented at school and sports, so that his dying mother didn't worry about him. if this isn't tsukasa at its core.)

"I tried to warm your cold smile, but I can't make a smile with my artificial eyes" -> but the vs aren't actually real (i dont want to think about the implications of sekai so i will leave it there), so what can they do other than provide support? provide a word here or there, a wish of healing? but also- the wishes of the virtual singers have to come from somewhere, right? is this not also the wish of hw- "i want you to be happy, even if i am not yet myself"?

"Neon tubes and monochrome snow" -> i actually don't really know what this line means in the actual song but here- the neon lights of the theater, the colorful world of the stage, and the cold, grey feelings freezing them in place?

"I'll tell you how to do it, I believe you can do it, Soft snow covers our tracks" -> this again as the wish of the virtual singers- i can't change for you, but i can offer advice and push you forward because i know you can (oh also spitball other point- kaito's line in his 1.5 anni card- "when faced with a wall, i don't want to push them up over from the bottom. I want to climb it myself and pull them up with me, so that we can see the other side together"). i had a connection to the soft snow covering our tracks part but i don't know how to say it in words. but in colors it's a soft orange. which i know doesn't make any sense.

"You ran with your friends" -> emu nene rui do i need to say more here. (yes because it never gets old. because of the pain, of the things that tore them down, of the steps they took back up, they found their dreams friends family).

"He will be alright now, 'cause there's no winter that isn't followed by spring" -> yes

also raising the point of snow imagery- it alrealy exists in normal n25- mafuyu did chose the name "yuki". and i think there was an event about it. i think that theme also works in hw. but instead of the damp, blue sort of snowfall that feels cold and hollow, it's the warmer, sparkly snow of dawn. it's the snow that was lonely in the night, but beings to feel less so when the light first begins to break.

AADHWJJDNWKDNWKDUSQJOSHISKWUQNDOBWNSNSJ acey are you in my fucking brain. aroace wxs fanatics really do share a brain cell because HELLO??????/silly

i haven’t said shit about the virtual singers yet but ohmygod your guess is so fucking on point. awawawa. this is so fucking hw core and like it fits so so fucking well into the current thoughts i have for both tsukasa and the main story guhhhh explodes explodes explodes

firstly, might as well do a tiny bit of explanation for hw virtual singers. they both have the same overall personalities as canon wxs, kaito being the responsible older brother figure (representing what tsukasa wants to be like yknow) and miku being very childish and all (i. forget her symbolism w tsukasa. whoops). also given that the sekai and they were created from tsukasa’s feelings, they are well aware that tsukasa isn’t quite okay. even if he isn’t entirely aware of it himself. yknow how he is. anyway. you’re very right about hw virtual singers. their goal is both to ease their pain but also to like. revive the bit of hope they all had, and help them not lose it again. given it’s an online theater group, they of course want to help them do shows and find joy in doing again, because despite it hurting them so badly they still hold so much love for shows and the vs want to help them with it, but more than anything they want them all to find joy in living again. like they’ve all been hurt and vs is there to ease that pain and help them find joy and hope despite being given so much shit and having been hurt. yknow. and i don’t have much to add aside from that cause like. you got them so well. my god

"You ran with your friends" throwing UP. i hate these clowns and their stupid loving friendship and love and care they have for each other because who else understood them like they did each other who else did they have aside from each other because who else will drag them back up and cling to hope with them like they do for each other. they’re so. sobs.

"He will be alright now, 'cause there's no winter that isn't followed by spring" YES. YES INDEED. they’re all gonna be okay. they’re gonna be okay. cries.

tsukasa side note:

""I told a lie to my mom", a boy began to cry. I am made to be all white so that I can take away the darkness in his heart" -> also like you said TBIS IS TSUKASA AT HIS CORE and he’s exactly the same in hw. he wants to be that big brother his siblings can look up to he wants to make them proud and he especially doesn’t want to worry anyone Ever and saki and toya know something might be wrong but he won’t tell her (but to be fair. he hasn’t exactly admitted it to himself either) bc he’s tsukasa tenma!! he’s okay!!! he has to be okay!! he’s going to be a star!! and what kind of star would let a lot a few setbacks get him down!! so there’s no need for anyone to worry!! cause he’s a-okay!! (<- lying. to himself as well.) honestly at this rate i’m not even gonna need to do the tsukasa ramble since i’m just rambling about him in asks when i can /lh

#asks #hollow ☆ wonderland #screams and cries and throws up #i might have repeated stuff a bit sorry i tend to do that dknwkdhwmd #anyway THANK YOU FOR THIS. ROTATING THESE LYRICS IN MY HEAD. MY GOD #long post #also took me forever to answer my bad. curse you classes…

[sunpinktulip]

okay you said sent bkdk ideas & BET

1. The climax of she-ra w/ catra’s “dont you get it? I love you, i always have! So please, just this once, STAY!” speech and I actually can’t decide if it’s katsuki begging an unconscious deku to wake up or izuku begging an unconscious kacchan to wake up. But either way.

2. Bakusquad singing She’s In Love from the little mermaid stage show — again can’t decide if it’s about katsuki or deku (with the other one as flounder who is Most Upset about Ariel being in love w someone) (only this time it’s themself that is the love interest) (I have both sets of lyrics divided up and available upon request)

3. Say the Word from the mad ones (sorry yes I’m a theatre kid mb). That’s all. I’m tentatively working on an animatic but I can’t draw

4. Bksquad singing fixer upper from frozen. Bakugou is Kristoff & Deku is Anna obviously. I haven’t thought any further at all so just spitballing here but kirishima sven todoroki Elsa (obviously) aaaaand idk for hans. I feel like shindo yo would be the popular pick for a fake love interest?

5. Bakugou singing Granger Danger from a very potter musical.

6. Okay this is actually kiribaku but you by dodie, bkdk were fwb but deku caught feelings & bakugou starts dating kirishima

7. Atalanta (Greek myth) au — bk was raised by wolves/bears/dragons probably, then gets hunted by a king (mitsuki) who recognises him as his (her) son and takes him back to be prince. Tells him he has to get married, he says okay but Only someone who can beat me in a fight (in the myth it’s a foot race) and if they lose they die. Deku gets help from all might and wins (in the myth aphrodite gives the winner golden apples which distract atalanta, not sure how this would play out in this ver)

8. Howl’s Moving Castle au (book ver). Controversially, I have deku as howl, katsuki as Sophie & sentient OFA as calcifer. I can and Will back this up. (Kaminari as Martha/youngest sister who wants to marry rich and be a mom) & Uraraka as Lettie (middle sister who wants to be rich off her own hard work) (I actually have the whole cast planned out)

9. I’m currently writing a Carrie au. Deku is Carrie obvs. Katsuki is both Sue and Tommy, w Kiri coming in for some of Tommy’s advice giving moments. Decided Toga can be Chris and originally I had aged down!Dabi as Billy at a friend’s request but not 100% sure. Considered switching to mustard but like. We know nothing about him.

10. Barely fleshed out but I’ve seen a bunch of parallel universe swapping quirk fics where fantasy!bkdk or future!bkdk get swapped to the canon verse, including at least one w pregnant izuku and. Pregnant katsuki gets swapped to the canon verse because I think it’s WAY funnier

Okay I’m done now sorry

These were A LOT and as a uni student I don't have the time to do all/organise all in one post (but I will draw if more people insist on the asks (please submit your ideas separetly, it's a lot easier for my little pea brain)

BUT, i will give my piece about the songs, since I included them in my BKDK playlist

2. She's in Love - I see it as bkdk friends talking about Deku's (Ariel) clear crush while an oblivious Bakugou (Flounder) has barely been able to tell Izuku is in love and it's annoyed about it because he thinks it's not him (it is tho)

3. Say the Word - This is such a Katsuki-coded song about his feelings, it actually hurts me inside

4. Fixer Upper - Submitter's suggestion is good, BUT HAVE YOU CONSIDERED: Fantasy AU BKDK, where Kiri is the weredragon and Shouto is a prince and I would suggest Toga Himiko (my daughter) for Hans (would change some more of the story tbh, but that's the OG plan)

5. Granger Danger - COUNTERPOINT: Fem!BKDK in a ball, bkg is Draco, dk is Ron and they're talking about each other

6. What if She from Dodie but it's Izuku's POV cause he is enamoured by Katsuki buthas no clue what the other feels

Anyway, feel free to send more asks now !! I'll promise I'll get back to them, I just took a long break because of personal shit, but I'm back stronger than ever

#bkdk #bakudeku #my hero academia #mha #bakugou katsuki #bnha #boku no hero academia #izuku midoriya #katsudeku #dkbk

[lraerosesims]

Hey, hi, hello, greetings, sul sul!

So I know I've been a little quiet lately on the Sims CC front, so I thought I'd update you all on what stage I'm up to on each project:

1. The Elderwood Manor Build

I was working on testing this build for functionality etc, and tried to test in different spots in the neighbourhood, and that's when I discovered some broken terrain in the back of the lot (where the terrain slopes from road height to the beach). I've tried to fix it, haven't had any success yet. So I may end up having to either:

Do more heavy research on how to repair just the broken part - putting off uploading it until fixed, or

Remaking the build as close as possible to how it currently looks but on a flatter beach lot to avoid breaking terrain

Either way, it's unfortunately not ready to post for you all to enjoy just yet, I'M SORRY!!! 😭😭😭 I was really hoping to post it but I'd rather not give you guys a broken lot.

I haven't made basically any progress on this outfit since I last shared a texture WIP here. No excuse really, just taking on too much for my little pea-sized brain to handle and can feel the ADHD burnout creeping in so I don't wanna push myself too hard. Making my CC textures is exhausting, and takes a very big toll on ye olde✨mental✨ so I promise it will get done, but I just require some time to recharge so that way I can share the best possible retextures for you all to enjoy.

2. The Harlow Jumpsuit outfit

This one is about 75 to 80% complete. It's another very time consuming project, with the screen recording, video editing, voice over recording, blah blah blah. The biggest problem I have is that I feel the need to announce when I'm working on something (to build interest and anticipation for what's to come) but then take ages to finish it - which leaves people wondering if I'm just full of shit or actually going through with it 😂😂but I promise the tut is happening still!

3. Retexturing YouTube Tutorial

Don't expect this one anytime this decade🤣 I have no idea what I'm doing so I'm winging it entirely. Watch this space though, because who knows maybe I'll just magically find the willpower and mental capacity to figure it all out.

4. Stretched earlobe mesh

And...5. Whatever this hair is

So I did a recolour of a base game hair to make an undercut bun hairstyle (that's accurate to my real life five-head)...not sure if anyone would ever even want this in their game. So far I haven't gotten around to binning it, or even making it in different hair colours. It's also just using a Maxis texture I stole from a different hair and reworked to fit this one. But anyway, that one...exists...for some ungodly reason 😅😂

If you read this far, and haven't given up on me or this page yet then I'm eternally grateful (and slightly confused, but I won't question your intentions 😝)

To be honest with you all, I've got a heap of stressful shit going on in the real worldz right now so bear with me and I'll eventually work through the current projects I'm yet to finish.

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤 - L'Rae

#WIP update #Help I'm tired and need a 10 year long nap #lraerosesims

[oldcoyote]

thetimesinbetween replied to your post:

(1) please feel free to utterly disregard any/all of this!

(2) i saw this and my heart & soul squeezed because that fucking SUCKS, that breaks my heart, and i want to. like. stuff you in a burlap sack and throw you over my shoulder and take off running. GET OLDCOYOTE OUTTA THERE <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

(3) your brain might be straight-up, like, panicking/sabotaging your happiness in hopes of re-establishing whatever emotional state it has decided is safe. (the vibe: “oh, you’re feeling HAPPY? don’t you know it’s NOT SAFE to be happy? if you’re HAPPY, what NEXT? if you’re HAPPY, then you’re CAPABLE, you’ll have to DO [SOME SCARY THING]. AND you’ll have to do [WHATEVER] and in order to do [THAT THING], you’ll have to BE VULNERABLE.” and so on and so on.)

(4) to be clear, i could absolutely be wrong about this!!! it’s your brain!!! *my* brain loves to do this shit and in my opinion IT IS THE FUCKING WORST.

(5) ok i am currently in a DBT skills group. (this is where me and like 8 other people who are also Severely Struggling and #mentallyill all get together and learn from our 2 intrepid and deeply gay instructors how the fuck to cope, in practical ways, with being alive. and perhaps even. like. build lives we enjoy.) anyway, so, in this group, i learned about a (frankly sort of mindblowing) mechanism called “opposite action.” which is basically a way to decrease the intensity of an emotion.

important caveat: opposite action only really works when (a) you yourself WANT to decrease the intensity of the emotion in the first place, (b) the emotion in question isn’t, like, totally aligned with reality in the first place OR, even if it is aligned with reality, acting on it still wouldn’t help you. (like, imagine this sort of thing: ’ugh it totally makes sense that i feel this way, and it totally makes sense that feeling this way makes me want to do X, but doing X is really REALLY not gonna help me right now, fuuuUUUUUCK.’)

wow. i am not an expert. this is hard to explain. i looked for youtube videos on this for like. half an hour minimum. and they all sucked. YIKES. ✌️sdfsas;kjsasdfs. so, if you are fascinated and/or this seems useful, here is a uhhh fuckin pdf full of charts and bulleted lists: static1.squarespace.com…

if you start on p. 251 of the PDF (“Overview: Changing Emotional Responses”), that should actually properly explain what i’m talking about. I wish I could beam knowledge that I have directly into your brain bc opposite action is very cool actually, and i have done it multiple times and found it helpful, but i am literally linking you to a textbook rn i am so sorry lmao. again please feel free to ignore this :’) <3 <3

(6) in conclusion, absolutely fuck anything sabotaging your joy. you were HAPPY!!! you LOVED doing this thing!!! i want to be like, “i bet you are not stupid actually and also i remember liking your writing, way back when, and i bet it is not bad so THERE,” but like. that doesn’t even matter!!! you could write and then never reread it and never share it, and if it made you enjoy being alive, that’s already Everything.

loving something you are doing while you are doing it…that’s the juicy fucking meat of life!!!!! i am glad you had that & i hope you will have it again & i trust that you will. and just generally i’m rooting for you <3 okay goodnight <3 /end

bless you for all of this, and for the link, i will absolutely check it out and see if it works for me! it sounds SUPER useful and god might be exactly what i need because these emotions are Not Serving Me at all and i want them taken out and shot fjkdls i just want to feel like i used to feel about all this but i don't think that will come until i can write, and publish, and have people read it and be like This Is Not Awful Actually but in order to get there i have to be brave enough to put it out there and I am NOT right now i am a snivelling mess

anything that can help me get out of the snivelling mess stage is more than welcome <3 and beyond that, just, thank you so much for taking the time to say all this it made my day and makes me feel so much better already

#thetimesinbetween #replies

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Aliens/Space (4) Masterlist

part one, part two, part three

a life of possibilities (ao3) - olfrogbait

Summary: Phil has something he needs to tell Dan.

astrophilia (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: (n.) ~ rare love and/of or obsession with planets. stars, and outer space.

An Intergalactic Kind of Love (ao3) - husbants

Summary: Phil has been acting terribly strange recently and Dan just can’t stop his emotions from running wild. (Or, alternatively, Phil is an alien and Dan doesn’t know.)

blanket of stars (ao3) - silentdescant

Summary: “That’s all for now, thank you.”

“I’ll be back to check on you in a bit.”

The whole script is so routine, Phil thinks his brain would short-circuit if either of them deviated from it. Dan walks away and Phil sinks lower in his seat, sighing into his blue drink.

“When are you gonna ask him out, man?” Martyn asks.

Call Me D-4-N (ao3) - Do_it_with_the_Howell_Lesters

Summary: Phil gets abducted by alien!dan

Comet me, Bro (ao3) - counting2fifteen

Summary: Dan and Phil are chosen to be the first colonizers of Mars. They’re the perfect choice: they get along incredibly well, they graduated training at the top of their class, and they’re both incredibly ready to spend years, perhaps an entire lifetime, as far away from humanity as possible.

The problem? Dan has a crush on Phil. And Phil doesn’t know.

Cross-pollination (ao3) - citizen101erased

Summary: Captain Turak from Vulcan did not mean to crash on earth with her crew. She especially did not mean to break all the rules and accidentally have first contact with two humans called Dan and Phil, while at a Muse concert. But it happened anyway, and maybe everyone gets out of this a little bit better than before.

In my arms I’ll catch you (ao3) - throughtheirsnoses (det395)

Summary: When their space pod unexpectedly loses power, Dan and Phil must prepare for the unknown as they start drifting toward an alien planet

In The Area (ao3) - Elleberquist6

Summary: Dan admired him for a moment, running a hand down his milky thigh before paying him the compliment he was due, “You’re a marvelous specimen of humanity.”

“You too,” Phil whispered, but then said louder, “I can tell that you’re a testament to your kind, too.”

Dan noticed where Phil’s eyes kept flicking and he laughed. “Want something?”

Phil’s cheeks got pink and he was having trouble maintaining eye contact, but he said, “Um, well, are you ready? To study me I mean…”

lead me into the light (ao3) - itsmyusualphannie (itsmyusualweeb)

Summary: Dan and Phil are part of a crew of space explorers currently embarking on a dangerous mission to check out a supposedly lifeless planet far away from home.

let's laugh about it later (ao3) - olfrogbait

Summary: Dan thinks about what makes Phil Phil and also the importance of trust in a relationship.

Lightyear Groovin' (ao3) - Tarredion

Summary: In a galaxy far, far away, there’s an abundance of 70s clubs. On Krithoo, local party freak Dan Howell works as a waiter at an often overcrowded cantina, Virgo Volans. And maybe, just maybe, has an infatuation with the extraterrestrial dj frequenting their stage.

Mortified (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: phil can always rely on dan to answer his questions about earth. so when he finds a mysterious object underneath their bed, he goes to dan about it

not like the others (ao3) - lestered (clonetrobed)

Summary: Dan’s new boyfriend is just a bit eccentric, and more than a little secretive. But that doesn’t have to mean he’s hiding something big… right?

Space Oddity (ao3) - ditl_manchester

Summary: Dan has dreamed of going into space his entire life. When he finally does, there's a Ground Control agent that he just can't get out of his head, literally.

twelve thousand light years (ao3) - watergator

Summary: it's the end of the world and phil is one of the aliens that invade earth

when the trees lose their leaves (ao3) - cosmicglaize (strawberry_saturn)

Summary: Dan is moving out of his parents house and he takes a moment to move on.

#phan #phanfictioncatalogue #phanfic #phanfiction #masterlists #space masterlist #space #aliens #aliens masterlist #au

[hartshorn-and-isinglass]

(I see we're toeing a line again, Marve...)

I'm sitting in a front-row seat of the old auditorium, staring at an empty stage dimly lit by a single shaft of light coming through one of the back doors. I hear footfalls as someone makes their way down the rows.

"Is this seat taken?"

It's not the Muse. Not the current one, anyway.

"Wait a minute. What the hell are you doing here?"

They shrug. "Hey, it's your brain. You tell me." They look around. "I haven't seen this part of your head before. How come you never invited me up here?"

"I didn't even know I had an entire-ass auditorium in my head until recently. There's a lot of things I'm discovering about my mind these days. I mean, I didn't even know you were still in my head. But I guess none of you ever really leave, do you."

"Yeah, we're all still here. I've met the other Muses in the break room next to your hippocampus." They slide into the seat next to me. "Seriously though. You look like you've been having a bad day. Do you wanna talk about it?"

My voice cracks. "I'm fine."

"Marve." They put an arm around me. "If I'm here, it's probably because things are not fine."

Hot tears well up in my eyes. I try to laugh it off, but immediately realize the absurdity of trying to conceal my feelings when I'm literally sitting inside my own head next to the manifestation of some aspect of my personality.

"Yeah... okay. I'm not fine. There's a whole bunch of emotional baggage that I've apparently been holding onto since I was in high school, just a mess of weird perfectionism and impostor syndrome and depression and loneliness. That would be why you're here; my brain isn't exactly subtle about like, symbolism and shit."

I lean against them. "You were seriously one of the few good things about my teenage years, you know that, right? I looked up to you because you were like, this absolute fuckin' weirdo who I could relate to and who was also successful." I feel their shoulders heave with a barely suppressed chuckle. "No seriously," I continue. "You gave me hope that there might be a place in the world for me after all."

"There absolutely is a place for you in the world. But you know why? Because you carved one out for yourself. You did that. That's something you can be proud of."

"But now what? What was all that surviving for? When will I finally have something to show for it all?"

"Wait, seriously? You don't think you have anything to show- ohhh. You don't think you have anything good enough for the Muse. That's what this is."

I look up at them. "Hold up. Do I detect a hint of... jealousy?"

"You didn't have any hangups about showing me your work. I'm just wondering out loud what's different this time."

"Oh my God, dude."

"I realize this may sound rich coming from me of all people, but... you don't actually have to impress the Muse just because they inspired you."

"This isn't really about them, though."

"Oh? Because there's a giant corkboard posted in the chart room of your prefrontal cortex labeled 'Five-Year Plan for Getting Noticed by Senpai' that has gone through numerous revisions over the last eight months."

"Who let you into my prefrontal cortex?!"

"Marve, I'm a figment of your imagination. No one's going to badge me when I show up. But back to the point... if you're going to use us as your yardstick for whether or not your limerence has gotten out of hand, I'm going to remind you that you didn't have a five-year plan to get my attention back in the day."

"I didn't plan for anything back then. I didn't see the point. In an alternate timeline I might have, though."

"So you have more control over your life now, but you want to devote it to maybe impressing someone you've never even met?"

"They're a stand-in for me. Until I can like myself enough to be my own motivation again."

"But this limerent devotion isn't helping you if it's making you feel inadequate and anxious."

"At least something is motivating me again. I just need a reason to keep going until I can find the next reason to keep going."

"Your five-year plan doesn't include any solid strategy to transition away from chasing after the Muse as your main source of motivation. If this whole thing is only supposed to be a narrative frame for your own personal growth, where and how exactly does personal growth fit into this narrative?"

I slide off their shoulder down into my seat and sigh. "Hell of a way to get called out by my own brain."

"Marve, you know I don't hand out compliments of any kind lightly. When I said that I was impressed by how smart and talented you were, I meant it. And now I also know what extraordinary inner strength you have in you, too. You have no reason to consider yourself inadequate. If this weirdo- if you meet them IRL and they don't like you, that's on them, not you."

"...you're a little jealous."

"I'm not. Granted, I do have some... questions about their whole deal. But what I really care about is keeping you from running yourself into the ground again. You say you know who this is really for, but I think the boundaries have gotten too fuzzy and it's time for you to pull back and refocus on you."

"Dear God. This is possibly the weirdest pep talk I've ever received from my own brain."

"I hope it means something, to hear it coming from me. Don't forget that there have always been people out there rooting for you. Including myself."

They lean over and kiss my cheek. "I'll see you in your dreams, Marvy. I'm usually somewhere in there if you're doing the Inception Architect thing. Come find me and say hi."

With that, they get up to leave. I watch them go, still trying to process everything that's just transpired.

#fuck me this got meta ANNNNNND POST

[inposterumcumgaudio]

Poedit Cut/Unused Content: A Malpractice of Doctors

Was curious if we were ever meant to know specifically what becomes of Gemma, so here's 300some entries of medical merriment. These are all under Gathering_of_Doctors. Arthur's lines are bold.

001 Hum. No receptionist.

4 - 24 (minus 23, "Gin!") is the conversation between the three Doctors about Gemma and her notes.

046 There's no other way across to the blockade controls. I'm going to have to become a test subject.

047 Ohhhh, I hope I don't regret this.

049 Let's see what I can do to this with my trusty frammistat.

This PA announcement is separate all the rest of them and refers to a cut part of the quest.

048 Attention all staff. One of our test subjects has been found unconscious. A Downer may be running loose in the facility. Please consider him armed and dangerous. Be on your guard.

049 HE'S OPENED THE STREET BLOCKADES! SHUT THE SHUTTERS! CLOSE ALL THE SHUTTERS!

049a I can't just flip the switch. I'm going to have to mangle this mechanI'm good and proper. Extract some parts, for example.

050 CODE BLUE! CODE BLUE!

052 Sorry, sir, There's no visitors to the Health at the moment. They are preparing for a convention of sorts.

053 Well, there's no point in my going in there, anyway. Not till I get a frammistat from the Department of Scientific Something Or Other.

054 Oh, for heaven's sake. Maybe there's another way in.

56 - 70 is the conversation between the woman and the Doctor when you come out of the checkpoint, where she's mad about the pie shop being quarantined.

071 Sounds like I better round up a frammistat myself, or I've got a long wait ahead of me.

071a First stop: Department of Scientific Research.

072 Well, isn't this a sparkling affair. I didn't know we even had this many doctors.

074 I hope I have enough mojo. This is the last place I want them to sniff me out.

076 Well, this should be fun. A building full of fanatics who can smell me. Naked among wolves.

78 - 104 are PA announcements. Just included the cut ones.

094 The quarantine floor is currently under quarantine. If you need access to the quarantine floor, please see Dr. Milton for a keycard.

100 Don't miss the closing party at the Deaf Institute! All attendees are invited, along with their wives. Rumour has it that the Make Believes will be performing, but you didn't hear that from me.

102 If you need your Uncle Jack fix, there is a television in the nurses' break room. If you're very nice, the nurses may even let you watch!

104 Dr. Arnold, your wallet has been found at registration. Please see Sophia Jex-Blake for its return.

106 I need to get to the quarantine floor.

108 How do I get to the elevator? I don't think I want to mingle with this crowd.

110 Oh, bugger. I'm going to have to go up into the rafters, aren't I.

112 I really, really hate heights.

114 Why is the safest route always in the ceiling? it's because God hates me, isn't it.

116 Oh, of course. The quarantine floor is under quarantine.

118 I sort of doubt Dr. Milton is going to give me a keycard. Maybe there's one in his office.

120 - 138 is Dr. Defoe's musing aloud.

Dr. Ridgwell's demonstration was originally longer and more detailed.

144 We thought that if we applied electrical stimulation to the Broca's Area, we might enable the subject to speak. Which would have proved obviously useful.

140 So that was rather disappointingly inconclusive.

142 However, our next electrode proved far more interesting.

146 We had a subject in stage 1 of the plague, just beginning to revert to Old English.

148 We even had a linguist ready to translate.

150 But we obtained a very odd result. I'll just use a bit of juice here.

152 WEANA GEHWELCNE!

154 As you can see, the patient immediately goes into the well known late stage plague frenzy.

156 Removing the stimulus returns the subject to catatonia.

158 Re-applying the stimulus again...

160 SIDRA SORGA!

162 An interesting side-effect of stimulating the brain in this manner is that the development of the plague seems to be accelerated quite a bit.

164 Although the subject was in Stage 1 at the application of the stimulus, she was in Stage 3 after only half an hour of repeated stimuli. Normally the transition takes days.

166 FROFRE NE WENAN!

168 Oh dear. I see that my subject has expired. Ah, well. That concludes my presentation. I'll be taking questions after we've all had our lunches. Enjoy!

170 Well, I'd better get going before someone notices I'm not wearing a hat.

172 Now, Dr. Hardy, where do you keep your keycards?

174 No, that's not it! It doesn't work that way.

176 I have it in my office! I'll find it and bring it to you. You just -- I'll come find you.

178 I could swear it was on my desk.

180 Well, then it must be in my desk.

182 Where is it? My filing cabinet?

184 Ohhhh, I feel so stupid. Where is it?

186 "No, those are the nuts." But what's the setup?

188 Damn it. Where did I put my book of party jokes?

190 Aha! The keycard! Off to quarantine I go! Yay.

A little jumbled at this point, but it looks like Arthur would swap places with a female plague victim, pretend to have plague himself, and participate in the Coconut experiment on purpose in order to get to the other side of the quarantine grid.

192 That's the quarantine grid!

194 ... On the other side of the thick plexiglas. I need a way to get over there.

195 Ahhh, there you are! We've been waiting for you.

196 So I have to go through the Quarantine Ward. That doesn't sound terribly jolly.

197 Just get in the nice, comfy chair, please.

198 How long until the coconut Joy takes effect?

199 There we go. Lovely.

200 Give it a few minutes. Or you could just ask her if it's a lovely day.

202 All my conversations with plague subjects are rather one-sided.

204 Why, can't you speak Old English? it's easy. Semper ubi sububi. Wellington Wells omnis divisa est in five islands. Hah hah hah hah ha.

206 Have you ever ridden it yourself?

208 I don't particularly want to see the stimuli, do you?

210 The Test Alley is the quickest way to Ward B. Otherwise you have to walk all the way downstairs, and across, and through the--

212 I'd rather not see the stimuli. Especially the final one. Whatever it is.

214 There's some sort of ... ride? To the other side? That's handy.

215 I wonder how I get on it?

216 Well, she seems ... sort of dead tired. Maybe she'd rather avoid the stimuli, too.

218 Well, then. In the interest of science, I think we'd better replace her, hadn't we? Why yes, I think we better. After you. No, after you.

220 Uh, I better hide her, first, though, right?

222 There we go. Sleep tight! When you wake up... well, you'll still have plague, I guess.

224 There we go.

226 Oh ... I hope they don't remember their subject was a woman. Should have thought of that earlier. Huh.

228 There, I hope that isn't too unpleasant. However bad the plague is, it has got to be better on Joy, hasn't it?

230 Odd. I could have sworn you were a girl.

232 You seem fairly healthy. Are you sure you've got the plague?

234 Uh ... Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote. The droghte of March hath perced to the roote

236 Well, that's all right then.

238 Now, Doctor Brooks is going to bring in a series of disturbing stimuli.

240 Hopefully with the coconut Joy I've given you, you won't be a bit bothered.

242 We won't actually see the stimuli. There's a blind between us and you, and a blind between you and the stimuli. It's what we call a "double blind experiment."

244 And, ah, Zephyrus eke with his sweete breeth, Inspired hath in every holt and heeth

246 Superb.

248 Off you go. Don't forget to write! Hah hah. That's my little joke. I know you've forgotten how to write.

250 That's a rather strong reaction. I hope the equipment is properly calibrated.

252 Oh, dear. The coconut's not terribly effective at all, is it? don't tell anyone I said that.

254 Another strong reaction. Intriguing. I almost wish I knew what the stimuli are myself! Almost.

256 I'm glad I'm not the one taking you out of the chair.

258 Quite mysterious. Most of the subjects have a very strong negative reaction to the fifth stimulus, whatever it is.

260 Did you enjoy our little fun ride? I hope so.

262 HAFELON MULTON!

264 Oh, dear. You were only supposed to be in stage 2. I hope the ride didn't progress your condition.

266 BURSTON BANLOCAN!

268a I'M DONE WITH MY EXAMINATION, DOCTOR. YOU CAN LET ME OUT NOW.

270 Oh, I'm sorry, Doctor. That would break quarantine.

272 SEONOWE ONSPRUNGON!

274 I REALLY MUST INSIST THAT YOU LET ME OUT, DOCTOR.

276 I don't have the authority to do that, Doctor.

278 THEN PLEASE GO FETCH SOMEONE WHO DOES. I'M IN HERE WITH A STAGE 3 PLAGUE PATIENT.

280 DR. KIPLING?

282 DR. KIPLING?

284 LET ME OUT NOW, PLEASE!

286 Attention all staff. A Downer with plague has escaped from the test labs! Please consider him armed and dangerous. Be on your guard!

288 - 306 is the part after the test where the Doctors can't get the button to work.

Additional notes:

Arthur may have been meant to be afraid of heights at a point?

The "ride" actually was a ride earlier on, as opposed to the metaphor that it is now.

Either there was some back and forth in dev on which Doctor actually had the keycard to the quarantine grid or - funnerer option - the quarantine grid originally required multi-user authentication to unlock and there were multiple keycards that had to be collected.

No word on Gemma, unless she was meant to be the female plague victim. Nothing saying that though so we're free to imagine a better ending for her.

#we happy few #poedit #arthur hastings #dr. harold ridgwell #cut/unused content

[sleepymarmot]

Tokyo Godfathers (2003)

Wanted to watch this on Christmas, but I was too busy with an entirely different story about a baby abandoned and found on Christmas Eve and improbable coincidences. Then I decided to make it my first new film of the new year: it had been on my watchlist for more than a decade, so finally checking it off would be an auspicious start for 2024. I didn’t realize the movie’s events started on Christmas but ended on New Year, so turns out, I didn’t miss the time window after all.

It feels like this film should be a hit on Tumblr. Found family of marginalized misfits? I’m surprised it’s not a staple of the winter holiday season over here.

Especially since it has some things in common with a Tumblr (and my own) favorite, Disco Elysium. Self-hating alcoholic who missed his chance to become a family man; his queer companion, with some amount of romantic tension between them; a kid who’d rather spend time on the street than with dad at home; a mystery that has to be solved as soon as possible; an odyssey through the eclectic and neglected spaces of a city that seems to be a character in itself; finding hope in the middle of hardship and beauty among rubble and garbage. Even the style seems similar.

The environments might be my favorite thing about the film; beautiful, stylish, detailed and realistic yet harmonically coexisting with the more cartoonish characters. (This short article on Substack has some interesting info about it; I plan to watch the Blu-ray documentary feature that served as one of the sources, but not right now.)

I spent all of my brain power on processing the language and didn’t have much left to properly appreciate the story, so I don’t have anything original to say here. I was slightly bored at the beginning, and started to get into the film more when the protagonists encountered the yakuza and the impossible coincidences started piling up. I imagine the story would have been quite bleak if it stayed realistic.

Maybe I was too tired, but the plot stopped making sense at the end. So who abandoned the baby? Sachiko? Why would she kidnap the baby to raise it as her own, then abandon it, then try to run away with it again?

Interesting that all three characters are homeless by choice; all of them have people to come back to. They aren’t exiled from their families, they have exiled themselves. Their misery is caused not only by society’s failure to care for its vulnerable members, but also by their own guilt, shame, and fear. They cannot bring themselves to face their past, until fate forces them to do so. Their Christmas miracle is to reunite with the people who still love them and want them back in their lives. I think that in a story made by a left-leaning writer today, the protagonists would declare that the found family is the only real family they need, and would be far more resentful of characters like the doctor who told Gin to fix his life himself. This film seems uninterested in society as a net of systems and institutions that traps people in rigid roles, and more interested in it as a collection of diverse individuals who stumble upon each other’s paths, usually without understanding but also usually without malice. The film’s approach to social justice is to humanize the downtrodden, instead of condemning the system that left them in that condition. Perhaps it’s just an earlier stage of the same artistic process? Anyway, in the middle of the current “eat the rich” fad (which, to me, seems pretty hypocritical coming from directors and producers who are rich themselves), it’s nice to watch a story that doesn’t waste screen time on toothless satire and instead spends it on character development for the protagonists.

This is the second time within the last couple of years that I watched the work of a previously favorite anime director after an enormously long break. Your Name made me question my respect for Shinkai; Tokyo Godfathers, on the other hand, did not disappoint me in Kon — only made me mourn him all over again. I’m pretty sure I first made a note of this film with the intent to watch it back when he was still alive. Strange how a life-affirming story whose optimism relies on realism-defying eucatastrophes, in the end, reminded me how fucking unfair the real world is.

#tokyo godfathers #liveblogs and reviews #blah blah blah

[stuffnonsenseandotherthings]

Watch It Or Drop It - A 2024 Drama Challenge

As always, the impending chime of a brand New Year just around the corner is stirring up the age old urge to Sort My Life Out somewhere deep inside me and rekindled the burning flame of No I Really Mean It This Time once more.

So far this has meant deep cleaning my house with a fervour rarely seen outside of the pages of the most fanatic of Cleaning Tiktokers (something which will definitely have faded even before the clock strikes 12), setting up a planning and organisational system so that my life can go smoothly for once (that will probably last until summer after which point I'll be so sun addled I'll stop caring about to-do lists altogether), and forcing myself to confront my mountain of unread books (by placing them accusingly next to my bed so I can wake up and fall asleep to them until the growing sense of guilt forces me to hide them in a cupboard).

No a bad start if I may say so myself. It's not even 2024 yet and things are already looking Sorted.

Joking aside though, while there are, as there usually are, big (potentially life changing) goals that I want to work towards this year and which will take a fair bit of work and/or courage on my part to make happen, there are also smaller ones. Manageable ones. Silly ones. Ones that'll make the whole year just a little bit more fun. For example: clearing my MyDramalist Want-To-Watch list.

Because there are 84 dramas on that list and while some of them haven't aired yet, over two thirds of them are fully complete and sitting patiently, ready for me to watch at my own leisure whenever I want.

And, unfortunately, up until now I've been so over-faced with how many dramas there were waiting for me that I didn't want.

At all.

As in I was actively avoiding watching anything off my Want-To-Watch list.

As you can imagine this has been frustrating because 1) this is the opposite of what a Want-To-Watch it's for (I put the dramas on there for a reason after all) and 2) not very conducive to making the big, scary number go down, quite the opposite in fact.

So I've found myself at a bit of an impasse.

And to break that impasse I have come up with (what I hope is) a foolproof solution (because there is nothing more fool than having to trick yourself into doing something you want to do anyway).

The Watch It Or Drop It Challenge

Rationale:

I have been avoiding watching dramas on my Want-To-Watch list because:

1) I'm feeling overwhelmed with the amount of dramas currently on there and end up feeling time pressured to watch them all.

2) Linked to this, I'm worried about making the "wrong choice" (i.e not enjoying which ever drama I pick and being disappointed about something I was previously excited for, being in the wrong mood for a drama I would have otherwise enjoyed) leading to analysis/choice paralysis where I end up being unable to pick anything at all.

As such I need a system that:

1) Takes aways the element of choice, at least in the initial stages.

2) Removes some of the pressure to enjoy every drama I pick and allows me to celebrate both a "watch" or a "drop".

Rules:

1) Dramas are selected completely at random using a random number picker (this random number picker to be precise, isn't she gorgeous?).

Unless it hasn't aired yet (in which case I obviously can't watch it, I'll do a lot for this challenge but not bend time and physics) I have to give it a go. I can't spin the wheel again. What I get is what I watch (or drop).

2) I watch it or I drop it (self-explanatory, really, given the name of the challenge but it's something my brain clearly needs reinforced otherwise we wouldn't be here in the first place). A drop has just as much "value" as a watch in terms of continuing my learning curve about my drama tastes and there's no shame in not liking something I thought I would enjoy.

3) I can take as long as I need to decide if it's a watch or a drop, the only condition is that if I am watching it, I actually have to be enjoying it. This is not an endurance test or an exercise in how long I can guilt myself into watching something (5 minutes before the end of the final episode is the current record by the way, incase anyone's interested), this is me making sure I...

4) ✨ Have fun ✨ There are many things in life that aren't fun, watching dramas should not be one of those things (although they are allowed to make me so uncontrollably, that I will allow, nay even encourage).

🎉 And there we have it! My own little challenge for 2024 🎉

I'm feeling very pleased with myself but let's see how long I can keep it up, unless something drastic happens I'm planning to start a little early and pick the first drama tomorrow. I'm going to be post the whole challenge here (which dramas get picked, pre-watch thoughts, whether I watched or dropped it and why, etc) for accountability's sake because I know myself well enough to know that if I don't then this whole meticulous plan isn't happening. I also think it could be a nice little momento, if this whole challenge is successful, something to look back on from the time I bravely took on and defeated a list of my own creation.

And so without further ado,

#k-drama #thai bl #japanese bl #kbl #watch it or drop it #sorting my life out one drama at a time #because it was getting silly how scared I was of my want to watch list #but I am nothing if not easily trickable #even if the person doing the tricking is also me #so this should solve my drama problems #or make them worse #only time will tell

[despairshandvn]

Will You Fall Into Despair?

A string of murders have been occurring at your new university, its up to you and 16 other students with talents, some of which you are already friends with and some of which you just met to to put a end to the killings.

But will you be able to bear the secrets of the others as you get closer to them?

Will you save them from being the next victim?

Or will you fall into despair?

[This VN is still in its writing stages! Minors DNI this VN is 18+!]

FAQ:

-"Who is everybody? What are the names of the characters? What are they're talents?"

Soon......I'm going to make a separate post introducing them all or just probably introduce characters one or a few at a time seeing as this VN has 16 characters! That's alot of characters so I don't think I'll be able to do it all at once but I promise you will meet all my children very soon! But since I'm feeling nice today heres all the names of the characters and their talents!

-"Is this a Danganronpa fan game?"

No, however I did take alot of inspiration from DR. Whenever I first started making these characters a year ago it was originally going to be a DR fan game but now it has evolved into its own story entirely. Now the only thing I took from Danganronpa is the Ultimate part! But even then I have made some differences from the ultimates in DR and the ones in Despairs Hand.

-"Why are there so many characters?"

hehe funny autism and ADHD make the brain go brrrrrr

-"Does this VN have a yandere? If so, who is it?"

Yes! Whenever I introduce characters I will be announcing who the yandere is, and there might even be multiple 👀 but all of it depends on how you treat certain characters on if they have yandere traits or not...

-"Is shipping allowed?"

Yes! Some of the characters are actually already in a relationship with each other! There are even characters that are siblings! But I will say this for the characters that are siblings, shipping them together is not allowed in anyway. They are strictly a sibling relationship and nothing more.

-"Can we ask the characters questions?"

PLEASE DO! I love writing my children and my friend has even helped me by asking questions and I would write stories/responses in response for practice for this blog! So I am begging, please dont feel shy to ask them questions! I love writing them!

-"How old are the characters? How old is _____?"

While I do have ages for all of them I'm going to go ahead and say that all of them are 18 and above!

-"Who is the killer?"

That's for me to know and you to figure out :)

-"Do we/MC live at the university?"

Yes! There are dorms that everybody stays/lives in and I'm currently working on a floor plan to show what the dorms look like. If people want it I'll also show the floor plan of the school itself!

-"Are any of the characters LGBTQ+?"

Yes! Most of them are bisexual/pansexual! Other than them there are 3 lesbians, a demiboy which is also Grayromantic, a Transmasc, and 4 asexuals!

-"Will there be any forth wall breaks?"

Oh dear :)....I have these many characters for a reason....I guess I can let you guys in on SOME secrets but you won't know who it is :)....One character is fully aware they are in a game, one is extremely suicidal and a few might be lying about their talents...

-"Will we see what the characters look like?"

Im working on picrews so I can atleast show they're designs because drawing them would take a while....I'm also a traditional artist so my hands would be screaming in agony-

-"All the characters are human...right?"

Nope! I'm a absoulte sucker for fox boys so Benjamin got the fox boy treatment

-"Will there be any triggers?"

I will be posting all the triggers there might be soon

-"Are there tags for certain characters?"

Yes, I will be putting them in the tags of this post also!

I will put more later but for now this is all I can think about right now

Thank you for reading....

Good luck :)

#despairshandvn #yandere #yandere vn #yandere visual novel #visual novel #male yandere #horror vn #introduction #Esme ♥️ #Benjamin 🦊 #Aimee 🧸 #Sophie 🌌 #Evan 🎸 #Sammy 📖 #Ajax 🔪 #Redacted 📌 #Melody 🎶 #Autumn 🌷 #Marley 🃏 #Cassandra 🚨 #Adam 🌹 #Kelsey 🎤 #Charlie 🗂

[aeoki]

SHINSEKAI - Magicians of ES: Chapter 13

Location: SHINSEKAI Stage Characters: Jin, Akiomi, Mika, Sora & Natsume

< A few days later. Somewhere in “SHINSEKAI”. >

Jin: “♪~♪~♪”

Akiomi: “~......♪”

Sora: HaHa~♪ Are those the ghosts Hidaka-sensei told us about?

Natsume: I find it hard to believe even when I’m seeing it with my own two eyES… I did hear that someone hacked into “SHINSEKAI” and did whatever they wanted, thouGH.

That’s our homeroom teacher and the advisor of the Student Council, isn’t iT? What was his name agaIN?

Tsumugi: There’s no way you wouldn’t know.

In this day and age, people who act like they’re a “loner who isn’t interested in others” is, on the other hand, treated like someone uncool who can’t take a hint, you know?

Natsume: Oh, shut uP… AnywAY, just what on earth are thEY?

Those “ghosts” look rather youNG. Actually, they look like they’ve returned to the time they were actiVE.

Sora: Active? Umm, Sora can only “see” something foggy and hazy~

Tsumugi: Change your visibility settings, Sora-kun. You should be able to see what we see if you fiddle with it. According to the manual, anyway.

Sora: HiHi~♪ As Sora thought, it’s only within a game where Sora can be “the same as everyone else”.

But Sora’s eyes aren’t all-powerful, they’re just convenient so Sora will leave them on the same settings as reality.

The calm and clever Senpai and Master~ will verify the things that normal people perceive for Sora, anyway.

Sora will only perceive the things Sora can see and will tell you what information Sora has picked up. Surely, Sora will be more helpful that way~

But Sora is sure Master~ and Senpai will still love Sora even if Sora isn’t helpful.

Sora wants to be helpful.

Natsume: ……… *Hugs Sora gently*

Tsumugi: ……… *Tugs Natsume’s clothes implying that this isn’t the time for this*

Akiomi: “Oh. I thought the reaction was a bit odd but…”

Jin: “What are you guys doing here?”

Sora: Whaa, they noticed us~

Natsume: That’s our liNE. What are you guYS? What are you doing in our utopIA, “SHINSEKAI”?

Depending on what you sAY, we have the right to remove you as the admins fOR “SHINSEKAI”.

Tsumugi: Yes. Please sit still and let us capture you~ We won’t hurt you in any way.

Sora: HuHu~♪ You shouldn’t disobey the game master.

Jin: “Hey now, what’s with all the rudeness? We’re just having a good time in the game. That shouldn’t count as something bad.”

Tsumugi: But even so, it’s break time right now.

People other than us, the management, aren’t exactly banned from entering “SHINSEKAI”, but it’s not recommended to do so.

If you find your brain bugging out because you didn’t have a proper rest, then that will be your own responsibility, okay?

Akiomi: “............”

Jin: “Hmph. You probably don’t know who we are but we’re members of the ‘P-Association’. And ‘P-Association’ members are also ‘SS’ Administration Committee members by default…”

“Most of the management is involved with the development for ‘SSVRS’. That includes both Kunugi and I.”

Natsume: Kunugi, you sAY…?

Jin: “Which means we have the same position here.”

“You have no right to judge us – At the very least, you can’t judge players from a game master’s position.”

Akiomi: “Yes. You have no reason to arrogantly order us around.”

Jin: “Now that you know that, hurry up and get back to reality. Are you not going to listen to your teacher, Sakasaki?”

Natsume: …………

Akiomi: “This is a warning but it would be wise to do as we say. Putting Aoba-kun who has already graduated aside, Sakasaki-kun and Harukawa-kun, you two are currently still students, aren’t you?”

“Do you want us to write on your report card that you’re rebellious children?”

“You’re in your third year and should be preparing for university, right, Sakasaki-kun? I don’t think it would be a good idea to do something that could negatively affect your academic results.”

Natsume: …………

Mika: You guys are all idiots.

Akiomi: “.........!?”

Mika: There’s no way the person who Naru-chan liked would ever misuse his power and position to threaten someone. This is way too ridiculous~

It feels unpleasant like you’ve dirtied somethin’ that someone I deeply care about loves.

Akiomi: “Who the hell are you…!?”

Mika: Your true colours are spillin’ out~ Kunugi-sensei won’t be all emotional in front of his students. And he’s definitely not the kind of person to say “Who the hell are you?”.

Sora: Ah, were you pretending to be Kunugi-sensei? Sora couldn’t tell at all~ Your “colour” is way too different!

Mika: Yeah. I don’t have special eyes like Sora-kun, but even someone like me with poor eyesight could tell.

Who are you guys?

Akiomi: “............”

Natsume: HmM~ You did mention you’re members of tHE ‘P-Association’. It also seems you know us to a certain exteNT, so I do believe you’re people related tO ES.

But, well, in this day and age, you can gain a lot of information just by looking it up on the internET.

There are things only the people close to us knOW. There are also some things only people who have teamed up with us in a unit and performed on stage would knOW.

“Ba-barrier” was only active for a short period of tiME, but it seems that wasn’t an exceptiON.

Sora: Yes! Sora won’t forget the people Sora performed with!

Mika: Yeah. I tend to forget some things too but I’m not that forgetful.

Jin: “...What should we do?”

Akiomi: “Hell, you’re asking me–”

Jin: “For now, don’t say another word. We shouldn’t give them any more information.”

Natsume: FuFU. Oh, don’t say thAT. Come, let’s have a nice chat togethER, Sensei ♪

Just kiddiNG. I’ve barely attended classes so I’ve never had much interaction with Kunugi-sensei or Sagami-sensei from the very beginniNG.

But even so, you two are only capable of putting on an act that anyone could see throuGH. If you two were idols, you wouldn’t amount to much at aLL.

Jin: “............”

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#shinsekai

[buginateacup]

9, 14, 18, 37 for the ask meme!

ooh Dal I hope you're ready for this...

Which fic has been the hardest to write?

Tea with Topsy. Hands down. I have others I struggled with for longer, but Topsy had a schedule and I would spend hours just trying to think through the hows and whys and who's doing whats of that fic so I could keep it straight in my head (unlike Megamind and Roxanne, wahey!) while trying to post regularly and not fuck myself by having something happen and accidentally cut a chunk of story because of it.

What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever come across?

Cut everything that doesn't advance the plot.

Seriously WHY would you say that? Maybe this is because I'm primarily a fanfic writer but what the fuck? Half the time the plot is the LEAST interesting thing about a story! Because here's the secret. Unless your characters are on a QUEST, they don't know there is a plot. They are just trying to live their lives and thinking about what comes in two days, two weeks, two months. When the plot arrives it is a Disruption! And if you don't let your characters react or crash and burn or give them enough time to actually show WHY they are people who make bad or selfish or pointless decisions, you wind up with a very boring story or characters acting OOC just to move the plot along and I swear this is where half the "If I was X character I would simply not make X decision" comments. You need to give your story time to BREATHE.

Your characters do not know they are in a story. They are not going to think like a reader and as a writer you need to give them follow through so they are not little puppets getting pushed around a stage. It's like punching someone, you don't aim for their nose, you aim two inches past it.

Do you use any tools, like worksheets or outlines?

I use dot points. Usually when I realise I've written myself into a corner and have to figure out how to get out again. I have also been known to rough draft plot points a la gossip style story telling (hi Rings!) but that happens less than you'd think. I am not good at planning, but I like making sure I set something up before I knock it down so my brain and I mostly agree to disagree.

Talk about your current wips.

I...all of them? Ohhkay oh fuck alright I can do this. There are six open on my laptop right now. I'm gonna start with them.

Lindworm: You know the story of the lindworm? Woman wants a baby, fucks up the instructions, has a perfect child and also a dragon. And oops they're all grown up now and dragon wants a bride? (Or possibly a snack. He's kind of into eating people). But the bride wears numerous dresses and convinces the lindworm he can eat her if he takes off a skin for each dress she removes and by the time they're down to the last she washes him with milk and lye and wraps him in her arms and breaks the curse and he becomes a man again?

Yeah we're doing that with Megamind. Also there may be an AU I'm leaving a trapdoor for myself with where Roxanne fucks Dragon!mind after a few sheds. Haven't decided yet. Should I?

Consolation prize: I don't remember why I called it tha- oh wait yes I do. This is a gift fic I've been poking away at with a prompt for really inhuman Megamind being the one to rescue Roxanne and show why he's the big boss in town and he's ashamed he's not human enough but she embraces him anyway and they're incredibly tender with one another.

And...look. You know me. I don't really do easy comfort. There's something about trauma that makes me go "You cannot pivot straight into comforting someone while you're in the middle of a perfectly reasonable panic attack of your own. You gotta let your characters breathe and cry for a bit before they can have emotionally healthy conversations. But I'm trying! And everyone's probably going to be in shock anyway so we'll let that carry the emotional baggage. Also it is very tender in a let me wash the blood off your face kind of way. I should actually have it finished soon which is exciting.

Tea with Topsy (part 2): Not actually part 2 I just got sick of scrolling every time I opened it so I put all the published stuff into another document. It's technically on hiatus still but I'm finding it a lot more pleasant to work on when I'm not trying to keep to a schedule. There's lots of smut coming, some Megamind being threatening, and some Roxanne being sneaky (if we're lucky they might even say "I love you" this year) and Minion being best henchfish to ever hench. Plus plot! And emotional breakdowns! And more strawberry icecream!

Oil and Water: Okay that one's just smut. I'm aiming for 1000 words per chapter for the next couple of chapters and its really just Megamind and Roxanne exhibition hours and an idea I've had FOREVER about them getting busted. But they're having fun and that's what's important. (poor Warden better hope he never finds out what happened in his office).

Party Dress: Okay so! Did you know whatever Megamind fic goes up next on AO3 is going to be my 50th? Because that was a shock! And what is being human for except to ascribe random numbers pointless meaning, so I had to make it something special. I toyed with the idea of getting Paperwork Polycule or Blue Ruin started but they still need more work than I have the brain for so instead I decided it was time I actually finished the very first piece of Megamind fanfic I started!

It's a cute oneshot fairly early on where Megamind and Minion run into Roxanne who is avoiding the crowds at the Mayor's annual Christmas Party and they offer her a ride home. It was the first place I came up with a lot of fun/silly ideas that I'm sure people will be able to draw comparisons to other fics I've written when I post it.

Kittens: Roxanne discovers a box of abandoned kittens on her way to work and takes them home. Megamind appears, very annoyed she missed their appointment ("What appointment?" "The one where I kidnap you of course!" "Oh that. Pass" "Pass? What you can't just pass! This is a kidnapping!" "Sh! I'm busy.") And she shanghais him into watching them while she goes to get pet supplies.

There is purring.

As for the rest!

*deep breath* this part comes with musical accompaniment to set the mood

Blue Ruin - The 1920's Megamind is a mobster, Roxanne is a club singer AU.

A Cunning Disguise - Spy AU, Megamind and Roxanne are undercover as newlyweds trying to put a stop to...something (look its about the TENSION alright? What's important is how many times they have to kiss to throw someone off their trail)

Barley - aka 5 times Roxanne and Megamind wound up playing schoolyard games as he tried to kidnap her (chasey, hide and seek, dodgeball, nerf wars, the floor is lava etc)

Birthday Cakes - An Umbrella Academy fic where they find The Women's Weekly book of birthday cakes and insist they each finally deserve a proper one

Bluestocking - Working title, Regency AU where Roxanne is trying to keep her family estate and winds up married to Megamind for half historical scandal half revange reasons. They fall in love.

Catherine Wheel - Angst. Something goes wrong, Megamind gets injured, Roxanne yells her feelings, possibly everyone dies?

Chains - Megamind and Roxanne escape the Doom Syndicate and wind up in a safehouse that's really more of an abandoned garage for the night. Oh and they're handcuffed together.

Chicken - Megamind and Wayne team up to invite Roxanne to a threesome

Chunk! - Wayne punches Megamind and bends his ventral piercings. Roxanne has to but them out with a boltcutter. Edging for everyone!

Noone calls you Honey - TECHNICALLY complete but I have an idea for a later scene that involves Wayne fighting a speedster supervillain and Roxanne rescuing other damsels so its staying in the WIPs until I decide what to do with it.

Con Crunch - Roxanne sneaks into a Villain con, Megamind catches her and passes her off as his protege.

Dear Diary - The WIP title for Wait a Minute! Where Roxanne and Megamind are trapped in a time bubble for 30 days. Actual future chapters are drafted because I finally got the angsty one finished!

Dinner and Goodnight kisses - Actually cut from Topsy due to emotional damages. Roxanne asks Megamind to be her fake date for dinner, which he accepts. But she accidentally mistakes someone else for him instead. Cue betrayal, misery, and an apology dinner of takeaway thai food on her couch. And kisses.

Falling - Roxanne and Megamind have a ”one time thing” out of curisoity/boredom/horny. But it keeps happening. And so do feelings

Family dinner - Roxanne asks Megamind to be her date to her monthly family dinner with the horrible side of the family in the hopes she'll be banished.

Free on saturday? - 5 times Roxanne made Megamind be her fake date (and one time it wasn't fake at all) This one I borrowed some of my own family traditions and I will probably be a blubbery mess when I actually write the rest of it but its still tender right now since my Opa passed away.

Fly me to the moon - Once upon a time Nickel and I agreed to an exchange where she asked for Megamind and Roxanne meeting as adults. I had two ideas, one was Back of Beyond (which I'm delighted you enjoyed) and the other is this, Roxanne is a junior reporter kidnapped by a couple of of aliens and is being kept in their spaceship on the other side of the moon while they try to figure out how to ransom her for the fuel they need to get back to the rest of the galaxy. Also Wayne is a space cop. Mostly made of teeth. And Minion's robot body turns into a motorcycle.

Formal Wear - The continuation and the prequel of A Formal Affair, where Megamind and Roxanne start their little getaways and also Wayne finally gets the courage up to ask to be the wall they fuck against.

Gloves are off - There is a trend for hero and villain themed onlyfans. Roxanne gets asked to do a story on some of them and finds one account that does a really good Megamind impression. Like REALLY good.

Hadestown - A 13/Dhawan!Master Dr Who Hadestown AU where the Doctor is Persephone and the Master is Hades

Into Temptation - The next installment of the Crowded House collective. Its the night before a very big event and Roxanne asks Megamind to visit...(soft angst, smut and feels)

Intruder Window (my working titles are so I can save the doc, not because I know what I'm doing) - The Tapetum Lucidum series. I hope you're ready to get laid

Mentality Machine Misfire - Prequel to Rings. What did happen when Megamind and Roxanne wound up as Brain-bots?

Mer couture - The sequel to Haute Water. (I blame @kizzyanel) I'm waiting on the next Met Gala for more inspiration because at the moment its just Megamind and Minion pleasing Roxanne in the bath.

Mistress Roxanne - Megamind runs into Roxanne in a dungeon and finds out he has a hitherto undiscovered sub streak a mile wide. Sexy shenanigans ensue.

Nails - A Nails AU based on the short story from Round the Twist. There are mermaids.

Never drink alone - Wayne Megamind and Minion all get absolutely trashed on a particular cocktail at a Scott Family party (so much for that evil plan) a none to sober herself Roxanne has to wrangle them back to Wayne's room and keep them there till they all sober up. No one has a filter. Also truth or dare.

Noticeable - Pride and Prejudice AU - Mary asks Kitty for help to make her beautiful enough Mr Collins will ask her to marry him. Mostly about sisterly bonding.

Nowhere to run - Roxanne stumbles on Megamind right after he accidentally kills someone in self defense. She takes him home and cleans him up and keeps his secrets.

Operation Seduction - Wayne and Roxanne are fuckbuddies who team up to seduce Megamind.

Paperwork Polycule - Roxanne marries all her aliens to make sure they don't get deported. of course this means they have to live together for a year and oh dear what feelings are these? (Wayne and Minion have the most helpless crushes on each other).

Penelope - A Penelope/Colin Bridgerton story about Penelope writing a vicious takedown of herself as Whistledown and the fallout as the Bridgerton family comes to her defence.

Prime numbers - It's not even a real kiss! Just a kiss on the cheek because they were both laughing at the brainbot tangled in mistletoe. So why is Megamind running in a panic and who is Roxanne going to have to kill for making him feel like he's not even allowed such a small gesture of affection?

Roxanne is dead - (thrilling title I know) Except she's not, she's hiding in the Lair from everyone while the rest of the world THINKS she's dead. Megamind included. A lot of angst and slow feels

Same time next week - Megabyte and Dot don't intentionally make a habit of running into one another at Al's diner. But it keeps happening (will end in alley sex)

Selkie - Roxanne's greatest secret is her pelt. When her house is robbed and Megamind returns it to her, any number of strange things about her suddenly start to make sense. (Also there are whiskery seal kisses)

Six of Crows Bar and Restaurant - A slice of life AUabout the Six of crows but as restaurant workers

Speed Chess - A Queens Gambit oneshot about playing speedchess in the park

Table for Two - Sarcasm serves Megamind and Roxanne well when instead of the evil plan that was supposed to be happening, Minion has arranged...dinner?

Tattoo Roses - The flowershop/Tattoo parlour AU that I will have more than just slice of life scenes if I ever figure out how

The inherent evil of turtlenecks - Bernard is back and he is out for revange! Unfortunately Megamind has found his greatest weakness, advice on how to be a better supervillain. Homoeroticism and evil plans abound.

The Morning after - Roxanne and Megamind run into each other out of town and wind up spending the night together. What's going to come of this neither of them know.

Please Break Me Gently - Megamind collapses four steps into Roxanne's apartment after the Black Mamba fight. An adult retelling of what happens next with all the bruises left in.

The Vast of what comes after - A Vast of Night continuation of how and where Faye and Everett and Maddy come back.

Tofu - Megamind steals Roxanne's lunch one day and discovers tofu is an aphrodisiac to his species. Roxanne offers to help out

Toy Room - Megamind has a sex room built during his villainous days. Roxanne finds it. Fun times ensue.

Tryst in me - Sequel to "She's all out to get you" Wayne Megamind and roxanne have got a pretty good handle on how to run her city. But Roxanne really can't stop thinking about Megamind's hands. She decides to do something about it. (the something is Megamind)

Up n at em - Also technically finished but I have a sequel chapter about how they fell in love and how it was Roxanne and Minion first.

Voyager - Yes the one you used to write Embers to Ashes. the line "These are supposed to be gills!" still lives rent free in my head so its becoming a post movie angstfest at some point.

Waltz - Megamind finds Roxanne sneaking around at a party. The price for his silence? A dance.

Who bit my familiar? - A WWDITS story about Guillermo waking up a vampire.

You must be this tall to fire the giant laser - Megamind accidentally shrinks Roxanne down to 5 years old. Chaos ensues.

*falls over gasping* And there you have it! That music was in my head the ENTIRE time I was writing this out. (sometimes I really do have to wonder if I don't have some kind of ADHD)

Also thank you for making me tidy up my WIP folder, it actually shrank because I stuffed all the random bits and pieces and all those "An Idea" minifics the server pulls out of me into one document so yay! (I did not do those, that would have been another 20 odd)

#Ask meme #holy cow that got long #thanks for the asks Dal! #Six of crows #Megamind #Dr Who #Hadestown #Pride and Prejudice #Bridgerton